Is the U.S. Constitution poetry? Maybe, maybe not. However, we do know that the Preamble is best memorized through song. Moreover, even this English major didn’t quite grasp structure until her Con Law class.

Hey! Guess what we found — the archive of most (all?) Jur-E Bulletins from years past. This weekly newsletter on “all things jury” was the precursor of this blog. It was a lot of fun. Thanks to NCSC for putting into their library catalog.

Where have we been? Weeping over the inhumanity of a broken Asus laptop. Its failed body safely entombed in the trunk of our car, we are now emotionally able to continue with our regular blogging schedule. Here goes…

Why a grand jury task force? These things usually grow in the wake of some notorious case. Recall, for example, the bevy of petit jury reformers who got to work after the O.J. case in the 90s. Here, the grand jury is getting a closer look after the Tamir Rice shooting in Cleveland. That grand jury either never took a vote, or did, depending on who’s telling it.

That’s right, the legislature will no longer pay for them. Never mind the poor souls who accidentally die in testate, never mind the vulnerable people who are in need of guardianship. Never mind that probate court is supposed to be a public service.

Instead of funding the courts, the legislature raised fees. Thus, the rich (assuming they don’t have enough warning to plan to die elsewhere, and assuming they lack wills) will pay extremely high fees, which supposedly will fund the rest.

In this day and age, there is a lot we could say about the folks running certain state courts of last resort. Suffice it to say, we will miss the good example set by the pioneering Chief Judge Judith Kaye of New York, who passed away today.

Already known for his 15-foot tall zombie nativity scene, which went viral (as only a zombie nativity scene can), plus a few other antics, John Forest Thormer was arrested outside the Hamilton County Municipal Court. He was in full zombie getup (of course he was).

Apparently, First Amendment rights do not include use of a megaphone. You’d think trying to impress Tom Arnold (see link to story, below), would be a felony.